Interactive Brokers (IB), a prominent broker-dealer, reported a data breach in January that exposed sensitive consumer information. The disclosure came in a notice filed with the Massachusetts attorney general on May 16, detailing the breach’s discovery and subsequent actions.
According to Interactive Brokers, the breach occurred when an unauthorized party gained access to an employee’s email account. The compromised information included names, Social Security numbers, financial account information, and driver’s license numbers. The personal injury law firm Console and Associates highlighted these details in a post on JD Supra, a legal information site.
Interactive Brokers informed ThinkAdvisor on Wednesday that around 600 clients were notified about the breach, which involved only a few employee email accounts. The firm reassured clients that there is no evidence of misuse or unauthorized access to client accounts or IBKR systems. “Data privacy and security are among the Firm’s highest priorities, and we have extensive measures in place to help protect information in the Firm’s care,” stated Interactive Brokers.
The breach was identified on January 11, prompting the firm to secure its systems and initiate an investigation. Federal law enforcement was also notified. The investigation confirmed that the unauthorized access involved an employee email account containing confidential consumer data. Interactive Brokers conducted a thorough review to determine the extent of the leaked information and identify affected consumers.
